Inscription-plate for burial-cases.



No. 67|,5IL A Patentcd Apr. 9, |901.`

J. J. DE LACY.

msmprlou PLATE For: umAL enses. (Appumionmed July 11, 1960.)

(No Model.)

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UNrrn STATES AfrnNT rricn.

JOI'IN J. DE LACY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DENNIS OTOOLE, OF SAME PLACE.

INSCRIPTION-PLATE FOR BURIAL-CASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,511, dated April 9, 1901 Application iled July 1l, 1900. Serial No. 23,178. (No model.)

To all w/wm it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN J. DE LACY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inscription-Plates for Burial-Cases, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

Inscription-plates heretofore used usually consisted of a block or plate of metal whereupon the desired inscription was engraved. In practice it is frequently necessary to 'make burial-caskets hurriedly, and the delay and expense of having a plate especially engraved have been a serious annoyance to undertakers when prompt and hasty preparations for burial were necessary. In smaller cities and towns it is in some instances necessary to have the engraving done in larger cities, because in such smaller cities no engraver, or at least none experienced in this class of engraving, is located there. The invention designs to overcome these objections to the use of such old and well-known forms and designs to provide a composite construction of inscriptionplates which can be easily and quickly assembled and so as to contain any desired inscription without the necessity of having each plate especially engraved.

By employing a composite construction the undertaker can himself quickly arrange the` inscription, and thus avoid the delay and inconvenience to which he has been heretofore subjected.

'With these objects in view the invention consists, primarily, in providing a series of blocks containing letters, words, and characters and a frame or casein which these can be arranged and secured and which can be secured to a burial-case in the usual manner.

The invention further consists in the several novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a face View of an inscription-plate embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a front View of the case or holder for containing the engraved blocks. Fig. 5 is a back view of the skeleton cover.

A denotes a holder or back plate having pockets or recesses l, 2, and 3 in desired uumber, between which cross-ribs 4 and 5 are formed. The back plate is also formed with a rib G, extended around the back plate adjacent its outeredge. Said recesses serve to hold a series of blocks '7, having thereon letters, words, or characters necessary to complete an inscription. Such blocks lit snugly between the ribs of the back plate. In practice the undertaker is supplied with a number of entire sets of blocks, including blanks,

from which the desired inscription may be ar ranged. One recess is used for the name, another for the date, and another for the age of the deceased. By reordering blocks as soon as used the sets may be kept intact and ready for any emergency. The letters which constitute the name are usually placed on separate blocks, and blocks for the year and month, when such are used, preferably contain an entire word.

B is a skeleton cover having side bars 8 and cross-strips 9, between which open spaces are formed, through which the inscription on the blocks remains exposed. Bars 8 and crossstrips 9 impinge against the blocks and secu rely retain the blocks within the recesses of the back plate,and,furthermore, said bars and strips overlap the edges of the blocks and are located over the ribs of the back plate, thus concealing the edges of the blocks and ribs to give the plate a finished appearance. The bars and cross-stri ps of the skeleton cover are preferably formed V shape, and the edges are extended backwardly, as at 10, to form a flange or rib which covers the edge of the back plate. When assembled and arranged, the inscri ption-plate may be secured to a burial-case in the usual manner.

The invention provides an inscri ption-plate which can be quickly arranged and adapted for use and whereby the necessity of having inscriptions specially made foreach is entirely avoided. Furthermore, it is simple, attractive in appearance, and inexpensive in construction.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details described, but may roo be varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent, is-

1. An inscription-platecomprising the combination with a holder having a plurality-of recesses therein, a series of inscribed blocks fitting snugly in said recesses, and of uniform thickness to form a straight surface, and Hush abutting edges and 'a skeleton cover fitting over said holder and having strips overlying the edges of said blocks to conceal the edges of said blocks, said cover serving also to retain the blocks in said recesses.

cover serving also to retain the blocks in said recesses.

JOHN J. DE LACY. Witnesses:

FRED GERLACH, Tennis H. ALFoRDs. 

